no sale by Charles Bukowski
I just sat in the bar
non compos mentis

it was about a week before
Xmas.
big Ed was selling trees
outside.

he came into the
bar.

"Jesus, it's freezing out
there!"

big Ed looked at me.

"Hank, you go stand out there
with the trees.
if anybody wants to buy
one, you come in and
get me."

I stood outside.

I was in my shirt sleeves.
I didn't have a coat.
it was snowing.
it was ice cold
but a nice ice
cold.
I wasn't used to snow
but I lided the snow.

I stood with the trees.

I stood there about 20
minutes
then big Ed came
out.

"nobody come by?"

"no, Ed."

"you go on in, tell Billy Boy
to give you a drink on
my tab."

I walked in
got a stool.

I told Billy Boy,
"double scotch and water,
Es's tab."

Billy Boy poured.

"you sell any trees?"

"no trees."

Billy Boy looked at
the patrons.

"hey, Hank didn't sell
no trees."

"whatsa matter, Hank?"
somebody asked.

I didn't answer.
I took a hit of my
drink.

"how come no trees were
sold? somebody els
asked.

"as the bee swarms to
honey, as night follows
day
in the stink of time,
it will
happen."

"what will happen?"

"somebody will sell a tree
though it won't necessarily
be me."

I finished my drink.

there was silence.

then somebody said,
"this guy is some kind of
nut."

being there
with those
I decided
I had no argument
with
that.

(The Last Night of the Earth Poems)